Armed Forces Bill

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the evidence given by the Permanent Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, to the House of Lords Constitution Committee on 9 November, what detailed consideration has been given by the Cabinet sub-committee on legislation to the Armed Forces Bill; what role did the Attorney-General play during that consideration; and what advice did he give.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Legislative Programme (LP) Cabinet sub-committee gave the Armed Forces Bill its full consideration before clearing it for introduction, as is the usual practice.

Childcare and Nursery Education

Lord Brookman: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many children aged (a) three; and (b) four received care and education in (i) maintained sector schools, and (ii) private and voluntary day nurseries in England and Wales in each academic year between 1995 and 2004.

Lord Adonis: The available information on childcare places and nursery education places in England is shown in the tables.
	The available information on childcare places is shown in Tables 1 and 2.
	
		Table 1: number 1,2 of day care places for children under eight years of age by type of provider -- England: Position at 31 March each year, 1995–2001
		
			 Type of provider 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
			 Day nurseries  161,500 178,300 193,800 223,000 247,700 264,200 285,100 
			 Playgroups and pre-schools 410,600 397,700 383,700 383,600 347,200 353,100 330,200 
			 Childminders 373,600 376,200 365,200 370,700 336,600 320,400 304,600 
			 Out of school clubs 44,600 70,000 78,700 92,300 113,800 141,100 152,800 
			 Holiday schemes 3 192,100 205,900 209,000 256,500 435,300 490,400 598,000 
		
	
	1 Rounded to the nearest 100 places.
	2 Data Source: DfES Children's Day Care Facilities Survey.
	3 From 1999, places were counted once for each school holiday. Before 1999, places were counted once each year.
	
		Table 2: number 1,2 of registered childcare places for children under eight years of age by type of care -- England: Position at 31 March each year, 2003 and 2004
		
			 Type of care 2003 2004 
			 Full day care 381,600 456,300 
			 Sessional day care 280,800 274,100 
			 Childminders 300,900 319,700 
			 Out of school day care 285,400 326,700 
			 Creche day care 32,700 38,900 
			 Total places 1,281,300 1,415,700 
		
	
	1 Rounded to the nearest 100 places.
	2 Data Source: Ofsted.
	The figures for 1997–2001 were derived from the Children's Day Care Facilities survey. The figures for 2003 and 2004 were derived from the Ofsted database of registered childcare providers. There are no figures for 2002.
	With the introduction of the National Day Care Standards and the transfer of responsibilities for registration and inspection of childcare providers from local authority social service departments to Ofsted in September 2001, childcare places were classified according to the type of day care provided: full day care, sessional day care, childminder, out of school day care or creche day care. Ofsted has produced figures based on this classification on a quarterly basis from March 2003. Its latest figures were published on 27 October 2005 in its report Registered Childcare Providers and Places, 30 September 2005, which is available on its website, www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications.
	All four year-olds have been entitled to a free early education place since 1998 and from April 2004 this entitlement was extended to all three year-olds. The free entitlement consists of a minimum of five two and a half hour sessions per week for 33 weeks of the year for six terms before statutory school age, which is the term following their fifth birthday.
	Some local authorities may additionally offer subsidised childcare places but this information is not collected centrally.
	Figures for January 2005 show that all four year-old children receive some form of free entitlement. The figure for three year-olds is 96 per cent. This covers all maintained, private, voluntary and independent providers and represents 535,100 three year-olds and 568,300 four-year olds.
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 43/2005 Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2005 (final) in September, which is available on my department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.
	Changes in pupil figures may arise from changes to the underlying population in the local authority area and other factors. However, my department does not publish population figures for individual age cohorts at sub-national level because of the unreliability of the underlying population estimates. The Office for National Statistics publishes sub-national population estimates in five-year age bands.
	The available information on nursery education places is shown in Table 3.
	
		Table 3: number of free nursery education places 1 taken up three and four year olds -- England: Position in January each year
		
			  3 year-olds4 year-olds  
			 Year Maintained nursery and primary schools 2 other mtd and private, voluntary and independent providers Total 3 year-olds maintained nursery and primary schools 3 other mtd and private, voluntary and independent providers Total 4-year olds 
			 1997 214,200 .. 214,200 .. .. 4576,200 
			 1998 222,000 .. 222,000 .. .. 4591,500 
			 1999 225,700 .. 225,700 .. .. 4593,800 
			 2000 229,900 540,300 270,200 .. .. 4598,500 
			 2001 226,600 5108,800 335,400 .. .. 4589,300 
			 2002 223,500 5184,700 408,200 477,700 4106,800 584,500 
			 2003 218,700 5226,100 444,800 472,200 6109,600 581,800 
			 2004 215,300 7246,200 461,500 461,100 8110,000 571,100 
			 2005 214,300 7259,700 474,000 449,500 8104,400 553,900 
		
	
	1 Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate.
	2 Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	3 Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	4 Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the nursery education grant data collection exercise.
	5 Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the nursery education grant data collection exercise.
	6 Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools' Census.
	7 Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	8 Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	.. Not available.
	Information for Wales is a matter for the Education Department of the Assembly for Wales.

Climate Change

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will make representations to the United States Government to change their position on the global warming and climate change issues currently being discussed at the Montreal Conference.

Lord Bach: The UK Government are currently participating in the UNFCCC negotiations in Montreal. As part of this process UK Ministers will be holding discussions with other governments, including the US.
	The UK Government believe that an international binding treaty including targets and timescales is an extremely important part of tackling climate change on a domestic and international level.

Companies: Operating and Financial Review

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 5 December (WA 73), whether they will explain the relevance to the Baroness Noakes's initial Question for Written Answer (HL2639) of the Professional Oversight Board for Accountancy in connection with the operating and financial review; and what steps they intend to take, and when, in order to remove the requirement to produce an operating and financial review.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Due to an administrative error the answer given to the noble Baroness, Official Report, 5 December (WA 73) was incorrect. The correct reply is set out below.
	The Government intend to bring forward regulations, before the Recess, under Section 257 of the Companies Act 1985 to repeal the provisions of that Act which impose obligations on companies in relation to the preparation of operating and financial reviews. The regulations will leave in place those provisions of the Companies Act 1985 relating to the requirements to prepare a business review which are necessary to implement the Accounts Modernisation Directive (2003/51/EC). We will also in due course bring forward amendments to the Company Law Reform Bill.

Ghana and Nigeria: Asylum Seekers

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the debate on the Asylum (Designated States) No. 2 Order on 24 November (Official Report, cols, 1082–12), why statistics on asylum applications from citizens of Ghana and Nigeria were not broken down by gender, as in the 13th Report of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee; and whether they will provide a breakdown of the grants of asylum and discretionary leave to remain, according to whether these grants were given on application or gained by appeal.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The tables below show the asylum application, initial decision and appeal outcome figures broken down by gender, for nationals of Ghana and Nigeria, 2004 and January to September 2005. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of the allowed appeal figures into grants of asylum, humanitarian protection (HP) and discretionary leave (DL), but it is estimated that in 2004 90 per cent of allowed appeals were grants of asylum and the remaining 10 per cent were either grants of HP or DL. Information on asylum applications and initial decisions, by gender, is published in the annual statistical bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	
		Asylum applications 1 received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by sex, nationals of Ghana and Nigeria, 2004–2005 Q1–Q3
		
			 Nationality  Total applications Male applications Female applications 
			 Ghana 2004 355 265 85 
			  Q1 2005 65 50 15 
			  Q2 2005 65 40 25 
			  Q3 2005 55 40 15 
			   
			 Nigeria 2004 1,090 745 345 
			  Q1 2005 255 175 75 
			  Q2 2005 240 145 100 
			  Q3 2005 245 145 100 
		
	
	1 Provisional figures rounded to nearest 5, with '*' = 1 or 2.

Gwynt-y-Mor Wind Turbine Project

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many wind turbines are proposed in the Gwynt-y-Mor project along the Llandudno Bay area of the North Wales coast; what will be the height of each turbine; and how far they will be located from the coast.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Details of the Gwynt-y-Mor project are published on npower renewables' website. Their website address is http://www.npower-renewables.com/gwyntymor/index.asp.

Gwynt-y-Mor Wind Turbine Project

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will assess the likely impact of large scale, turbine-related, engineering work on the Gwynt-y-Mor development of wind turbines off the North Wales coast; and what is the likely impact on the marine sandbank that currently offers protection to the communities of Colwyn Bay, Rhos-on-Sea and Llandudno.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Offshore wind farm developers are required to produce an environmental impact assessment (EIA) when submitting an application for consent. The Government will take into account the EIA, and many other considerations, before reaching a decision on whether to grant consent.
	A copy of npower renewables non-technical summary of the Gwynt-y-Mor environmental statement is available from their website. Their website address is http://www.npower-renewables.com/gwyntymor/index.asp.

Gwynt-y-Mor Wind Turbine Project

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much subsidy or grant will be required for any power company proceeding with the Gwynt-y-Mor wind turbine project.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The cost of the Gwynt-y-Mor wind turbine project is a matter for the developer. Offshore wind farms are eligible for support under the renewables obligation. The renewables obligation, together with the exemption from the climate change levy, will be worth around £1 billion a year by 2010 to the renewables industry.

Household Batteries: Recycling

Lord Brightman: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have considered measures to encourage local councils to collect used domestic electric batteries separately from other forms of waste so as to aid recycling; and, if so, what conclusions they drew.

Lord Bach: Experience of battery collection in other member states shows us that it is necessary to engage local authorities, in order to collect significant levels of household batteries.
	The forthcoming Batteries Directive will require the UK to meet collection and recycling targets for household (portable) batteries. As part of the BREW (Business Resource Efficiency and Waste) programme being run by Defra, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is currently undertaking work to develop battery collection infrastructure in the UK.
	WRAP will be working closely with local authorities as it will be running a series of nationwide trials on household battery collection (starting in 2006). The LGA (Local Government Association) has sat in on the batteries advisory group.

Housing Developments: Planning Applications

Lord Lucas: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in calling in the planning applications for housing developments (numbers 2/2002/0415 and 2/2002/0880), they took account of the sustainable development of Shaftesbury.

Baroness Andrews: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's policy is to be very selective about calling in planning applications and do so only where issues of more than local importance are involved. In deciding to call these applications in, a view about their merits has not been taken. An inspector will hold a local inquiry into the applications and make a report and recommendations taking into account, among other things, the sustainability of the proposed development.

Joint Strike Fighter Programme

Lord Garden: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	At what stage of the Joint Strike Fighter procurement process a decision will be made about the acquisition of the Meteor missile for use by the aircraft.

Lord Drayson: The Joint Strike Fighter will enter UK service with a potent air-to-ground and air-to-air capability provided by Paveway IV precision guided bombs, and ASRAAM and AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. Future requirements are kept under review as part of the aircraft's ongoing capability development, and Meteor remains under consideration as a candidate weapon.

Powers of Entry

Lord Selsdon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In what circumstances officials of the Department of Trade and Industry and of public bodies answerable to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry can search and enter the homes or business premises of United Kingdom citizens; and, in each case, what is the statutory authority for that power.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: There are no circumstances where officials of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) or public bodies answerable to the Secretary of State DTI can search or enter the homes or business premises of UK citizens. The noble Lord may however wish to know that nominated officials of the Office of Communications (Ofcom) have authority, under powers derived from the Communications Act 2003 and in accordance with Section 15 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949, to enter premises; vehicles; vessels or aircraft, to investigate cases of suspected illegal operation of radio apparatus; for example, where such operation is causing interference to safety of life services. Ofcom officials also have powers under the Radio Equipment and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment (Amendment No.2) Regulations 2003 to enter any premises, other than premises occupied only as a person's residence, if they have reasonable grounds for suspecting that there is a contravention of the RTTE regulations. Ofcom is the independent regulator for the communications sector. It derives its powers from statute, rather than via delegation from Ministers and is answerable directly to Parliament.

Road Traffic Accidents: Sleep Disorders

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What studies they have made of the effect of sleep apnoea in road accidents.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Transport has not undertaken such research. However, it held an expert workshop into the medical causes of daytime sleepiness in 2002. Following that it has strengthened the advice it provides to doctors and includes a question on sleep disorders in the medical report form that must accompany any application, and re-application (from the age of 45 years), for a vocational (i.e. heavy goods vehicle or bus/coach) driving licence.
	The Department for Transport is aware of many studies undertaken on behalf of other organisations.